Английский язык с У. С. Моэмом. Театр

Франк Илья

"Hulloa! I won't keep you a minute. I was just signing some letters."

"No hurry. I only came to see what seats had been sent to the Dennorants.

What's that young man doing here?"

With the experienced actress's instinct to fit the gesture to the word, by a

movement of her neat head she indicated the room through which she had

just passed.

"He's the accountant. He comes from Lawrence and Hamphreys. He's been

here three days."

"He looks very young."

"He's an articled clerk. He seems to know his job. He can't get over the way

our accounts are kept. He told me he never expected a theatre to be run on

such businesslike lines. He says the way some of those firms in the city keep

their accounts is enough to turn your hair grey."

Julia smiled at the complacency on her husband's handsome face.

"He's a young man of tact."

"He finishes today (он

заканчивает /работу/ сегодня; to finish — кончать,

заканчивать, покончить). I thought we might take him back with us (я подумал,

что мы могли бы взять его с собой; to take back — отводить, отвозить,

относить, брать обратно) and give him a spot of lunch (и угостить его

ланчем; a spot of lunch — небольшой перекус, закуска на скорую руку). He's

quite a gentleman (он вполне джентльмен)."

"Is that a sufficient reason (а это достаточный повод) to ask him to lunch (чтобы

пригласить его на ланч; to ask — просить, спрашивать)?"

Michael did not notice (Майкл не заметил) the faint irony of her tone (легкую

иронию в ее тоне; faint — слабый, тусклый).

"I won't ask him (я не приглашу его) if you don't want him (если ты не хочешь

/приглашать его/). I merely thought (я просто подумал) it would be a treat for

him (это доставит ему удовольствие; treat — удовольствие, наслаждение,

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угощение). He admires you tremendously (он чрезвычайно восхищается тобой).

He's been to see the play three times (он посмотрел: «был, чтобы посмотреть»

пьесу три раза; play — игра, пьеса,

спектакль). He's crazy to be introduced to

you (он сходит с ума /от мысли/ быть представленным тебе; to be crazy —

быть помешанным на чем-либо, сильно увлекаться, to introduce — вводить,

внедрять, представлять)." Michael touched a button (Майкл нажал на кнопку;

to touch — касаться, прикасаться, трогать) and in a moment his secretary

came in (и в тот же момент его секретарь вошла /в кабинет/).

"Here are the letters, Margery (вот письма, Марджери). What appointments have

I got for this afternoon (какие встречи запланированы: «я имею» на

сегодняшний день; appointment — назначение, должность; встреча)?"

sufficient [sq'fIS(q)nt] tremendously [trI'mendqslI] appointment [q'pOIntmqnt]

"He finishes today. I thought we might take him back with us and give him a

spot of lunch. He's quite a gentleman."

"Is that a sufficient reason to ask him to lunch?"

Michael did not notice the faint irony of her tone.

"I won't ask him if you don't want him. I merely thought it would be a treat

for him. He admires you tremendously. He's been to see the play three times.

He's crazy to be introduced to you." Michael touched a button and in a

moment his secretary came in.

"Here are the letters, Margery. What appointments have I got for this

afternoon?"

Julia with half an ear (Джулия в пол-уха; ear — ухо, слух) listened to the list

Margery read out (слушала список, который Марджери зачитывала вслух) and,

though she knew the room so well (и, хотя она и знала комнату очень: «так»

хорошо), idly looked about her (лениво оглядывалась по сторонам). It was a

very proper room (это была очень подходящая комната; proper — присущий,

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свойственный) for the manager of a first-class theatre (для управляющего